Asus Blitz Extreme Review

Introduction:

Blitz Extreme? Just what the heck does that mean? Well if you break it down you get lightning quick (Blitz: a shortened version of Blitzkreig) and with Extreme there are any number of definitions, but usually the definition is to the utmost degree or furthest point. So by combining those two words the point is made clear what the performance expectations are. The Blitz Extreme is part of the Asus Republic of Gamers series of boards. It uses the Intel P35 northbridge chipset and Intel ICH9R southbridge, much like many of the Asus P5K series of boards. So what makes this one different? Dual phase power for the DDR3 memory would be a start. Crosslinx technology for 8x X 8x PCI-E bandwidth instead of the usual 16x X 4x setup normally seen on P35 chipset boards. The Fusion Block cooling system would be another of the items in the long list of differences that separates this model from its non-ROG brethren.

Will the Asus Blitz Extreme live up to the performance expectations that its name implies or will it fall by the wayside, never to be seen again? Let's find out!

Closer Look:

The Asus Blitz Extreme comes in a cold gunmetal gray and black box. The front panel shows some of the highlighted specifications such as Crosslinx technology as well as the P35 chipset and RoHS compliance. The game Stalker is highlighted as an added bonus to the package. The rear panel hits on the basic specifications of the Blitz. Highlighted again are the game Stalker and the Crosslinx technology, Supreme FX sound and the inclusion of a D-tek fusion block for the northbridge cooling.

The left side panel gives a glimpse at the I/O panel. The Republic of Gamers logo is everywhere on the Blitz Extreme Packaging. The right hand side shows the ROG logo and has the bar coding for serial number and model number should you need these items.

The packaging features a flip up panel that allows more of the features of the Blitz Extreme to be highlighted and examined through the windows into the box. The Supreme FX add-on sound card is visible through one window while the Crosslinx technology is visible through the bottom opening. The ROG status of the Blitz Extreme is highlighted many times on the pagakging.